The end of Summer?

 Labor day weekend is the end of summer as far as most families are concerned. The kids are ready to go back to school and, after a spell of glorious fall-like weather, we are back into Hot and Sweaty summer.  What?? We really shouldn't be surprised; it happens almost every year. 

This year is different, because our trip of a lifetime is almost here! We will be heading to New Zealand in a few weeks, where it will be early spring! (I must say, a little snow sounds quite attractive as I sit here and sweat!) When I get back, the countdown to the holidays will already be under way, so it's time to plant a few seeds about potential gifts. 

At a recent network event, I suggested that having a precious family photo restored would make a perfect gift. I could see the suggestion resonated with a few people. One of the reasons I enjoy photo restoration so much is the emotion that the restored pictures evoke. Whether it's a milestone such as a long-ago first communion or a snapshot of a family member who has passed away, the memories make the picture a treasure. And, thanks to Forever, I can offer digitization of your home movies and VHS tapes too. Here's a little video I made about the joy of bringing those faded memories back to life!

In 2020, when Covid kept us all at home, I spent a lot of time going through printed photos and organizing the packets in date order. Apart from a few old photos from my childhood, the pictures dated from 1977, when my husband and I got married, to about 2003 when we stopped using film.  There was a bit of overlap, because. although I bought my first digital camera in 2001, my husband was still using film. I must admit that there were a lot of forgettable photos, with some gems scattered among them. We didn't get a choice which were printed in those days. I scanned some of the best pictures but there are literally thousands to choose from and, where I can generally find any digital picture I have taken in the last 23 years, finding a particular printed photo is much harder. Now that the pictures are in date order, I think the next step will be to digitize the gems and upload them to Forever to keep them safe. Forever can do the scanning for me much quicker than I could do it, and once they are uploaded, I can tag the year, the people, the occasion etc. so that I can FIND the picture when I want it! Facial recognition is in the works at Forever, which will make finding a picture that much easier.

I'm sure, when I get home from New Zealand, there will be some family photos to take.  Many families choose the fall, with it's colorful leaves and sunny, cool days, to have photos taken for their holiday cards. A framed photo of the grandkids always makes a good present for grandma and grandpa but what about a blanket with pictures on it, or a customized mug? There are a plethora of options online and, for those who store their photos with Forever, it is very easy to make cool gifts with a click of the mouse.